We have talked about
municipal WiFi networks. Many municipal networks were oversold and have been disappointing. Still, the technology is evolving, and Google has operated a network in their headquarters city, Mountain View, California
for a year. The network covers
12 square miles and 25,000 homes and serves approximately 15,000 unique users each month. This is a research project for Google, and perhaps the most interesting thing Google has learned is that over 100 distinct types of portable
WiFi devices have been used -- not only laptops. Google applications on Apple's touchscreen portable devices also shows their interest in portable service. You can get a feeling for the Mountain View network at this
support site.
Update, 8/2/12. Google's Fiber rollout in Kansas City reminded me of Google's
WiFi trial in Mountain View, California (
coverage map shown here).
I did not check with Google, but, based on the sparse Web site with a broken link, I would guess that the network was not a great success. Let's hope the KC rollout is!
We all know that Google has done some amazing things. They continue to advance and push current technology. I often wonder how long it will be before the entire country will have wireless. To be able to access the internet with a wireless connection from anywhere at anytime seemed far fetched not too long ago. It's only a matter of time before networks like Google's keep popping up and expanding.
ReplyDeleteGreg Riddle